CARIBOU, Maine — North Lakes Fire and Rescue Chief Darren R. Woods was recognized in Augusta on Oct. 1 at the annual meeting of the Maine State Fire Chief’s Association.
At that meeting, Chief Woods received Maine Chief Fire Officer II certification. This certification is slightly different than others because it is not the result of one class. Rather, a panel of peers reviews one’s entire career, with scoring based on education, personal accomplishments within the fire service and service to the community.
Chief Woods joins a small group of fire chiefs in the state that have obtained this level of certification, and the only current fire chief north of Bangor to receive that honor. “While this may be true, I hope that my receipt of this certification will show other chiefs in the county that they can get there too. We can’t let the thought that we are smaller rural departments get in the way of showing the rest of the state that we do the same job here.”
“The process of putting everything together to be reviewed took me months to complete. It was interesting to look back and see where I began work with emergency services, where I am today, and even a look into where the future might take me,” said Woods. “It has been a great career so far, and very rewarding.”
Chief Woods has been in the fire service for almost 23 years, and is the current Aroostook County Emergency Management Agency director. He resides in Caribou with his wife Lisa, has five children, one grandchild and another due in November.
